Case study 1 – Emma (Severe Stomach Cramps & Diarrhea)

When Emma first came to see me she was very despondent. Since the birth of her son she had been experiencing severe stomach cramps and diarrhoea which were particularly bad in the mornings. She had no energy whatsoever and felt achy and generally under the weather. Looking after her son was proving extremely difficult and although she desperately wanted to try for another baby she knew that her health wasn’t good enough and that she wouldn’t be well enough to look after 2 children.

After taking a detailed case history it seemed likely to me that Emma’s problems might be linked to an overgrowth of candida albicans (a yeast like organism) in her gut. After a test had confirmed that this was in fact the case, Emma followed an anti-candida diet and took a programme of supplements to address the issue. 3 months later when we retested the candida had gone, but unfortunately Emma still had bad stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Further testing to assess pancreatic function, pathogenic bacteria and parasites was all normal. Food intolerance testing revealed a few problems with foods, but Emma was already avoiding all of these. As Candida is often associated with increased intestinal permeability (the ‘leaky gut syndrome’) I decided to recommend 2 supplements to improve the integrity of Emma’s gut lining. From taking these supplements Emma slowly but surely began to improve and within another 3 months she had made a full recovery and was able to incorporate many of the foods that she had excluded from her diet. Shortly afterwards she began trying for another baby and now has a brand new addition to the family.

Here’s what Emma had to say:
“There was a point when I never thought I’d get well, but thanks to Paula I am now completely normal. Thanks so much for giving me my life back!”

Case study 2 – Fred (Bloating and Lack of Energy)

Fred had been experiencing digestive issues for quite some time when he came to see me and it was making his life a misery. He played jazz guitar in a band, but just lately he had lost enthusiasm for it as he constantly felt bloated, uncomfortable and lacking in energy. Fred had been to his GP but tests hadn’t revealed any serious abnormalities and he had been given a diagnosis of IBS.

As Fred had a limited budget I knew that testing wouldn’t be possible in this case so I endeavoured to use my best detective skills to get to the route cause of Fred’s problems.

Due to the fact that Fred was an older gentleman in his 70s I wondered if he might be lacking in stomach acid (this is quite common as we age). He had also had a couple of courses of antibiotics in recent months so I concluded that he might be suffering from an imbalance of bacteria in the gut (antibiotics kill off our friendly bacteria as well as any disease forming bacteria). Finally I talked to him about foods that commonly caused a problem with IBS and through discussion of his eating patterns and symptoms we agreed some small dietary changes. I recommended a friendly bacteria supplement and digestive enzyme / stomach acid formula. Within one month Fred was one hundred percent better with no bloating, renewed energy levels and most importantly a renewed zest for life and his guitar!

This is what Fred had to say:
“Miss Werrett, I’m going to call you the wizard of Beech Road. My God almighty it’s incredible. I’ve got more energy, I’m sleeping better and my stomach is completely better”

Case study 3 – Margaret (Low Immunity and Digestive Problems)

When Margaret first visited me she was sick and tired – literally! She was constantly catching colds, bugs and infections, had eczema on her hands and feet and felt permanently run down and exhausted with bloating and constipation.

At the first consultation I explained to Margaret that often there is a link between poor digestion and immunity due to the fact that a significant proportion of our immune system is located in our gut. Medications such as antibiotics which we take for minor infections can in the long run exacerbate this problem by wiping out the all important friendly bacteria in our gut. This in turn can make us more prone to food intolerances which can further impact our general immunity

In order to begin addressing Margaret’s issues I recommended avoiding 2 foods in Margaret’s diet which I believed were likely to be disagreeing with her. We then agreed on a plan to increase Margaret’s intake of vital nutrients for the immune system by increasing nutrient rich fruit, veg and wholegrains. Finally I recommended a few supplements to give Margaret some extra protection from infection while we worked on increasing nutrients from her diet.

This is what Margaret has to say:
“‘everything seems to have calmed down and there is no hint of any chest infection and we are in mid-November! My hands have cleared up completely and my feet have too. Thank you so much – it has been amazing”

Case Study 4 – Elena (Fatigue)

My client Elena was a busy city lawyer with a very hectic lifestyle. Despite the demands of her job and her lifestyle she had always managed fine until the death of her father which really took its toll. Two years on when she came to see me she had still not fully recovered her vitality and was struggling with persistent fatigue, digestive issues and dizzy spells.

Because many problems begin in the gut and Elena was experiencing bloating and diarrhoea I recommended a test to screen for the presence of candida albicans. A test confirmed the presence of this and I put Elena on a three month programme of supplements and minor dietary changes to address this yeast overgrowth. I also suspected an intolerance to dairy foods and asked Elena to remove these foods from her diet for a few months.

At the end of the candida treatment programme Elena was feeling significantly better and was no longer suffering the digestive problems that she had been experiencing when we first met. Better still she had attempted to eat some dairy foods over the Christmas period and had had no symptoms as a result!

Despite these improvements however Elena was still tired and I was suspicious that Elena might be struggling with a degree of adrenal dysfunction. I recommended a test which did show that Elena’s levels of cortisol were suboptimal (cortisol is an important hormone used up in times of stress). I recommended some dietary changes to keep Elena’s blood sugar levels as even as possible to take the strain off her adrenal glands and in addition I recommended some specific supplements to help Elena with her energy and her resilience to stress.

Here’s what Elena has to say:
“My energy level are really good and the supplements ( the adrenal ones especially) have really helped. I am trying to eat protein with all my meals which has made a real difference”

Case Study 5 – Claire and Nigel (Fertility)

Claire and Nigel came to see me when they were struggling to conceive. I took a detailed case history from each of them and then looked at what they were eating. They both had a few minor health problems and Nigel in particular suffered with diarrhoea on a fairly frequent basis.

I recommended hair mineral testing for each of them to assess their nutrient levels and to screen for the presence of any toxic metals which might pose a risk to a foetus developing in the womb.

The hair mineral testing revealed a number of deficiencies and Nigel in particular appeared to have a high level of copper in his hair (a mineral which may be hazardous to an unborn baby).

Based upon the test results and an analysis of their current diets I recommended a dietary programme for them which was focussed around the foods that they liked eating. In addition a supplement programme was devised to address the excess copper and to supply all the nutrients needed for conception.

Four months later Claire rang me to let me know how excited she was to discover that she was pregnant. The pregnancy went without any problems and now Claire and Nigel have a beautiful baby boy!

This is what Claire had to say:
“I was very despondent when I first came to see Paula, but her calm and positive attitude gave me hope. It has been lovely working with Paula you get the impression that she really cares and of course we are delighted with our new arrival”

Case Study 6 – Peter (IBS)

Peter had been suffering from IBS for years and had tried any number of over the counter remedies without success. I explained to Peter at the first consultation that it might take a while for us to get his IBS under control but that I would do whatever I could.

After carefully listening to Peter tell me about his symptoms and the situations that made his IBS worse I recommended a number of minor dietary changes and recommended some supplements to address the diarrhoea and urgency. Peter wasn’t keen to spend money on testing so we agreed that we would review the results of the first month’s treatment before making any decisions on tests

One month later Peter contacted me to let me know how delighted he was with the progress. Despite a few minor dietary indiscretions over the Christmas period, Peter had been virtual symptom free for the whole month. 6 months later Peter continues to be virtually symptom free.

Here’s what Peter had to say:
“‘I would say that there has been a 95% improvement with my digestion and bowel movements. I have felt much better in myself and with additional exercise as part of my back rehab, I have felt less tired. I am very grateful that, with your help, I have been able to enjoy the festive season without worry.”

Case Study 7 – Leyla (Eczema and Constipation)

When 5 year old Leyla came to see me with her father she was struggling with a number of problems that were making her life miserable. She had very severe eczema over her face and on her legs and arms and was severely constipated. Her parents had tried various dietary exclusions and Leyla was on a good diet with lots of fibre.

A detailed case history revealed that Leyla’s problems stemmed back to the time when she was weaned. It also was clear that there was a family history of ‘allergic’ illness in Leyla’s family. I suspected that food intolerances were likely to be contributing to both Leyla’s eczema and constipation and recommended a food intolerance test to see which foods were causing the problems. I also suggested that we search for the presence of any bacteria or parasites that might be contributing to Leyla’s digestive problems.

While we waited for the test results to come back I suggested that we excluded wheat for a few weeks as wheat can be difficult to digest and is often linked with constipation. I also suggested some supplements to help with the eczema and to begin to calm down Leyla’s immune system.

At the second consultation Leyla’s father reported back that her eczema was much improved but that the constipation continued to be an issue. As we now had thefood intolerance test results back I now recommended avoidance of all problem foods. Key among these was rice to which Leyla was severely intolerant.

One month on Leyla’s bowel movements were back to normal and her parents were delighted. We have gradually been reintroducing the problem foods and these have been well tolerated.

Leyla’s father says:
“Leyla’s skin has been so much better since she has been following the dietary and supplement guidelines and once we found out what foods were a problem for her, the constipation disappeared. Thanks very much Paula”

Book an appointment today and let nutrition be the missing link to your health!